


The Darkness that Stands Between

by TheKittio



Series: Dark Arising [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, Female Protagonist, Female Relationships, Femslash, Goblet of Fire AU, Lesbian Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-01-30
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:25:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9450221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheKittio/pseuds/TheKittio
Summary: Due to past incidents, the Triwizard Tournament now begins its preparations at the start of the school year, with its participants being drawn during the opening ceremony. Whilst the Golden Trio is stumped by the change of tradition, Hermione’s focus, however, is inevitably drawn away from the changes and to the new transfer student from Beauxbatons Academy of Magic, Sybil Auclair. The French girl’s stoic disposition and keen intellect serve to keep Hermione on her toes, but something dark and dangerous remains hidden behind steel eyes, something that could irrevocably harm her beloved school and friends.





	1. Chapter One

Chapter One  
If anything, the new school year was always a time filled with excitement. Young witches and wizards pushing their carts full of suitcases, owls hooting erratically and the annoyed yowls of cats filling the station. By her sixth year at Hogwarts, though, the anticipation of the new year and excitement of meeting friends once more had begun to wear off on Hermione.  
Pushing her trolley slowly through the station with her lone suitcase and Crookshanks content in his cage, Hermione only felt a little sad that she was no longer a first year. No longer did she experience the anticipation of finding out her dorm room or the excitement of the opening ceremony. Instead, all that greeted her conscious was the constant tirade and fear of not doing well enough in her classes and having to look after her friends. Speaking of which, she could presently hear one Ronald Weasley loudly declare to the station and Harry that, ‘Hermione’s over there!’  
The heads that turned around to pin her with a stare was embarrassing enough without having to have her two best friends rushing forth like first years to greet her. The embarrassment was bearable though when she was finally able to be enveloped in their shared embrace, feeling finally at home. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had missed both Ron and Harry terribly over the break.  
‘Bloody hell Hermione! It’s been too long,’ Ron greeted pulling away from her finally.  
‘I’ve been busy studying Ron. It hasn’t been long enough,’ she replied with a pointed stare.  
‘We ain’t even at Hogwarts yet and all she’s thinking about is classes already!’ Ron said to Harry.  
The three of them shared a laugh before continuing down the platform towards the sixth year carriage. It was a familiar routine as the three boarded the train and settled in for the journey, securing the luggage and finding a cabin to sit in, sharing one with Luna and Neville. The conversation was pleasant between the five friends as they swapped stories of their holidays and expectations for the year. Hermione hoped secretly to herself for a quiet and uneventful year, but something in the way Harry’s scar caught her eye and the passing of a stranger in the cabin door’s window seemed strange.  
Almost as if fate was laughing at her stupid hopes.  
***  
Seeing the Golden Trio with her very own eyes had been a slap to the face for Sybil. Watching as the red head and Chosen One rushed forward to embrace the bushy haired Hermione was like watching a silent movie, Sybil the mere observer as the three friends rushed past her and into the sixth year carriage.  
The realisation that she was actually going to attend Hogwarts left her feeling a little numb and out of sorts. She had heard numerous things about the infamous Golden Trio from her previous school of Beauxbatons Academy, but seeing them in person still felt surreal.  
She noticed that most of the rumours concerning the members of the Golden Trio had been true. The boisterousness of the red head, Ronald Weasley, and the scar upon the Harry Potter’s head very much indeed real. One thing the rumours had failed to mention though, was the prettiness of Hermione Granger. She had heard the wide eyed girl carried a keen intellect and fierce bravado, but as the girl had passed her in the station Sybil had not failed to catch the way the girl’s brown eyes shone with intelligence and the way her thin, rose lips quirked into a small, secretive smile. Sybil found herself yearning to know the reason behind the secretive smile, but she knew it was not her place to lose track of her purpose for being transferred to Hogwarts. Her father had high expectations and was relying on her heavily, and she did not plan on being distracted by ‘pretty girls and their whims’, as her father had so eloquently put it earlier that month.  
With that reminder in mind, Sybil hoisted her lone suitcase and promptly began her way to the sixth year carriage, severely self-conscious of the lingering stares, both curious and suspicious. She supposed that it was uncommon for Hogwarts to receive transfer students, but at Beauxbatons, it had been a common occurrence. Sybil could recall having made friends with many foreign students from across the world, including girls from Mongolia and the attractive Nigerian one whom she had shared a short yet passionate fling with during her fifth year.  
Banishing the memory with a smirk, Sybil entered the train carriage and made her way down the corridor, searching for an empty cabin. Every one she passed though, was already full with friends reconnecting and sharing stories from their extended holiday, at one point she even passed the cabin of the Golden Trio, just briefly catching the stare of Hermione Granger.  
The look had left her slightly disgruntled, but ignoring it, Sybil eventually came across a lone cabin. Settling in for the long ride to Hogwarts, Sybil was joined by two other sixth year students who had introduced themselves but their names had gone over her head. Resting her head against the window, the train rattling along the tracks and the other students gossip filling her ears, Sybil fell asleep easily, dreaming of her father’s stern face and the piercing stare of Hermione Granger.


	2. Chapter Two

“Sybil Auclair, please step forward.”

Dumbledore’s voice rang clear and loud across the great hall. Hermione sat quietly between Harry and Ron, who continued to eat. After all, the Sorting Hat was no longer near as interesting as it had been during their first year. But something about the way Dumbledore read aloud the last name called forth Hermione’s attention, and she wasn’t wrong to be interested as a tall, raven haired girl stood up and walked forward to the seat.

Hermione was surprised to see that the girl was at least her age, her long raven hair pulled into a ponytail and her bangs resting upon her forehead. She had a slim, sharp face and a coldness seemed to surround the girl. When the girl’s eyes glanced upon Hermione, she jolted as if struck by the onyx stare of the girl, her eyes so dark and depthless.

Hermione felt her skin raise with goose bumps and shiver, as if someone was standing behind her and had trailed their finger along her spine. Noticing her change in mood, Harry glanced up to see the girl upon the stool and gave Hermione a strange stare. Eventually, Ron noticed too.

“I swear, the first years are getting taller and taller,” Ron noted shoving a chicken leg into his mouth. Hermione could only roll her eyes and correct him, “Ron, she isn’t a first year. If anything, she’s a sixth year who has transferred here.”

“A transfer student?” Harry asked.

“Most likely,” Hermione confirmed, “It’s rare, but other magical schools do receive their fair share of transfers. Hogwarts is an outlier in this case.”

Before their conversation could continue, the Sorting Hat began to give its long spiel, discussing with its self the houses suitability for the girl. Eventually, strangely not to Hermione’s surprise, the girl was sorted into Slytherin.

The look upon the girl’s face, however, told that she was not happy with the decision and Hermione watched carefully as the girl gave a longing stare towards the Gryffindor table, her eyes focusing on Harry. Glancing at Harry herself, Hermione noticed that he had spotted the girl’s strange stare too. The two friends shared a confused look before continuing on with dinner, a strange feeling diffusing across the table.

 _Sybil Auclair_.

The name rolled through Hermione’s thoughts. It sounded French, the girl most likely from Beauxbatons Academy. Yet, the characteristic blonde hair and blue eyes was not distinguished in the girl’s appearance, if anything, Hermione thought she resembled a more Northern European appeal. But the last name only confirmed her French origins, Auclair being a very common French surname.

Strangely, Hermione found herself hoping that the girl would be in some of her classes. Sybil was swiftly becoming a mystery that Hermione desperately wanted to unwrap and discover, and once again catching the cold stare of the aforementioned girl from across the great hall only further fuelled Hermione’s need to learn and determine who Sybil truly was.

***

Sybil was truly embarrassed having been placed to sit with the first years. The young kids sat apart from her though, obviously sensing her annoyance and seething anger. Slowly, one by one though, the kids began to disappear as they were called forth to the Sorting Hat and placed in their houses. Eventually, Sybil was the last one and hearing her name she stepped forth.

She wasn’t blind to all the surprised stares as she sat down on the stool. In fact, the curious stares only made her even more annoyed and her eyes darkened with her emotions. Scanning the full great hall, Sybil caught the Golden Trio, and the stare of Hermione Granger who seemed to physically flinch as their eyes connected. Something about the way Hermione grew visibly uneasy with her stare made Sybil feel guilty and averting her eyes away from the brown haired girl she continued her observation of the great hall.

The hall was decked out with floating candles and the colours of each house adorning the four large tables. The scene was quite picturesque and Sybil took her time to enjoy the moment, before feeling the sudden heaviness of the Sorting Hat upon her scalp.

She knew immediately that the hat would sense her purpose for being here, not exactly the details of why, but rather the dark intentions for her transfer. She heard him muttering to himself, a string of conflict emerging from the Hat’s train of thought.

“A great sense of loyalty, a keen intellect, all qualities of a Ravenclaw student… But, I sense something dark hidden within… A cunningness that would usually pervade most. A dark ambition that I cannot yet see…”

She knew in that moment the house she would be sorted into, and with a solemn sense of duty she gracefully accepted her Slytherin placement, but not before casting a longing glance towards the Gryffindor table, her eyes focusing on Harry as her father’s echoed in her head.

_Remember your duty._

The Slytherin sixth years greeted her with cool dispositions, kindly allowing her to sit between two dark haired girls, who promptly introduced themselves as Pansy Parkinson and Daphne Greengrass. Whilst the girls both seemed reserved, almost a bit snarky, Sybil felt comfortable in their presence, silently noting their cold beauty.

As she was explaining to the two girls about her transfer, the Headmaster, Dumbledore, called for silence and the student’s attention. Sybil already knew what the announcement would be, her father having briefed her before her departure.

“Students, it is my pleasure to announce that this year Hogwarts will be hosting the Triwizard Tournament.”

The school erupted into conversation, Pansy leaning over Sybil to ask Daphne if she knew what the Tournament was. From across the table, a quip voice spoke up, a sharp whip that startled Sybil as it reached her ears. The source of the voice emanated from a slim, silver haired boy.

“It’s an old event held between the three wizarding schools of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang and Hogwarts. It hasn’t been held in many years, do you not read up on your wizarding history? Or are you two busy playing house with your female friends?”

“Alright, Draco no need to be rude!” Pansy shot back, her cheeks flaming. Beside her, Daphne only sunk a little further into chair, hoping to go unnoticed. Sybil, however, was unfortunately unable to be ignored when Draco pinned with an accusing stare.

“And you must be the new transfer student… Draco Malfoy,” he introduced with a nod of his head and a smirk. Sybil nodded back, choosing to ignore his suggestive smile before returning her attention back to the Headmaster who continued to explain the circumstances of the Tournament.

“Due to past incidents, the judges have decided to allow participants to be drawn from the Goblet of Fire during the beginning of the school year, in order to allow these said participants to adequately prepare for the trials that will await them. As of tomorrow, students of seventeen years’ age and older may place their name within the goblet to be considered as a participant.”

An excited murmur flittered across the hall as the students began to eagerly discuss the exciting news. From her own table, Sybil heard several voices encourage Draco to place his name in the cup, and with a glancing look over to the Gryffindor table, she noticed Harry be jostled by his house mates who were obviously encouraging him to.

Everything was going to plan, expect for one last thing.

“Lastly!” Dumbledore called, gathering everyone’s attention once more, “I would like to formerly introduced to you the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Alastair Moody.”

A squat man with stringy ginger hair and an eye patch stood up from the teachers table at Dumbledore’s announcement. Beside her, Sybil heard Daphne whisper, “Well, isn’t he a looker.”

As the news of the new teacher subsided, Sybil briefly caught the professors eye who nodded in her direction. She did not reciprocate the acknowledgement, but rather allowed herself to turn her attentions back to the Slytherin table and the food that awaited her.

Finally, her father’s plans were falling into place.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, thank you for reading ! This is my first piece of fanfiction that I've dared to publish online, so I really hope you have enjoyed it.  
> I would love to hear any thoughts or feedback you might have, as constructive criticism or even small compliments all aid in helping me develop as a writer.  
> Again, thank you for reading and please leave a kudos or comment ! :)


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